Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's small music venues.
He was given the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
The money supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, vocalist Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her prize across a few charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, the band contributed their funds to the community center that developed their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
